Since the Fifth Crusade was the first since the Crusade of the Kings in 1189 that actually tried to rescue the Holy Land, its defeat was the bitter blow to the Christians.
The emperor in question was Frederick II, a ruler had far more lands at his command than any other monarch, even though he could not always rely on them. He had taken the Crusading vow in 1215 when he was still at youth.
A Marriage
However, Frederick was able to recover his reputation quickly. The Kingdom of Jerusalem was currently without a king John of Brienne was acting as a regent, and his daughter Yolanda was to be Queen. Shortly after the Fifth Crusade was over, the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights suggested that Yolanda be married to Frederick. If it was agreed, then the Kingdom would be untied with the Empire. John accepted in behalf of his daughter (14 years old). They went to Italy where Frederick (31 years old, hmm anyone else feeling a bit weird about this?) accepted the proposal.
Yolanda and Frederick were married in November 1225 at Brindisi. Frederick sent Yolanda to Palermo where she spent the rest of her short life. At seventeen she gave birth to a son (Conrad) and died six years later.
In political terms, the marriage was a success (at least, as far as Frederick was concerned). He now had a legitimate son. And he was the King of Jerusalem. All that he had to do now was to fulfill his crusading vow (10 years old now, the vow I mean).
How Many More Vows?
In the wake of the Fifth Crusade, there was immediately a call for another Crusade. At the Council of Ferentino in 1223, Frederick renewed his Crusader vow in the presence of the Pope, the King of Jerusalem (John of Brienne) and the Grand Masters of the Military Orders.
On June 25 Frederick renewed his Crusader vow again, this time at San Germano. The vow (almost like a treaty) was done with Frederick agreeing to provide a thousand knights, a hundred troop ships and fifty fighting galleys (a type of warship at the time). Against this laborate pledge he agreed to deposit a hundred thousand ounces of gold at Rome as surely should he break his vow.
He was on thin ice now, and the new Pope (Gregory IX) plainly didn’t like him and believed that Frederick was delaying out of cowardice. But it appeared that the King was at last serious, he masses his army in Apulia in the summer of 1227. Malaria broke out and many fell sick, but several thousand soldiers set out late in July under the Duke of Limburg.
Frederick set sail for the holy Land on September 8.
The Excommunicated Crusader
Frederick was hardly out of the harbor before those on board his own ship began to fall sick. The Landgrave of Thuringia was sick before he left and was now near death. Then Frederick himself fell sick to Malaria. His advisors insisted the King get some rest. After three days at sea, he agreed and his ship docked at Otranto.
Frederick immediately sent word to the Pope to explain what happened, but Gregory have none of it. He excommunicated the king on the spot.
Most of the fleet proceeded without the king. By the time he recovered, it was too late in the year to set sail, but he did not let excommunication deter him. Frederick assembled a second army the following spring and left on June 28 1228. When Gregory heard that Frederick had gone on a Crusade anyway, he excommunicated the King a second time (like this would change a thing). This bothered the King no more than the first one.
A great many of his soldiers were troubled by following an excommunicated leader and many of them went home on the first opportunity. As result, when he arrived in Palestine, his army was a lot smaller than what he intended it to be. (LOL loser)
At this time, his wife (Yolanda) had died as a result of giving birth to his son. According to the barons of Palestine, Frederick no longer had any claim to the throne of Jerusalem. Frederick insisted on having his say in any case. (This part has more to do about Outremer and making fun of the King than the Crusades so I’ll cut it short here)
Frederick’s Journey to Palestine
Frederick’s first stop was Cyprus. He was technically the overlord of the kingdom (His father created the First king of Cyprus). The King at that time was a child (Henry I) and the regency was in the hands of his mother (Alice of Jerusalem). Frederick engaged himself in some complex negotiations that came within a hair of violence. In the end, he was able to exert his influence, but the barons were successful in stopping him making himself regent.
Cyprus occupied the summer. He went on to Acre in September where the news of his second excommunication arrived about the same time. Many more of his followers found excuses to leave him while the Templars and the Hospitallers flatly refuses to aid him. With the local barons fearful, the Military Orders (except for the Teutonic Knights) openly uncooperative, and his followers reluctant, Frederick found that he had arrived in the Holy Land without the power to accomplish much. (Again I repeat what a loser)
The Emperor and The Sultan
The prospect of diplomacy did not bother Frederick very much, as he had been in contact with the Sultan before he had ever left Italy and the two men had a certain measure of respect for each other. Al-Kamil had let it be known the he might be willing to give away Jerusalem if the terms were right.
When Frederick arrived, he had called al-Kamil at a bad time, as he was occupied. Al-Kamil was laying siege on Damascus with every prospect of capturing it (Damascus was a highly desirable prize to the Sultan) Upon Frederick’s arrival, al-Kamil sent ambassadors to Acre to string out the negotiations for as long as possible. Ideally, wither Damascus would fall or Frederic would leave.
There followed months of elaborate fencing, as neither ruler was bargaining from a position of strength.
Frederick tried one military expedition, in November 1228, trying to draw the Sultan into battle, but the Sultan stayed put and the Emperor had to retire. Then, he took advantage of the situation fortify Jaffa. Damascus continued to hold out, and al-Kamil began to be anxious for a settlement with the Crusaders. In February, The Emperor and The Sultan came to terms.
The Recovery of Jerusalem
By the terms of the treaty, Jerusalem was returned to the Christians along with Bethlehem, Nazareth, the castles of Montfort and Toron, and a corridor running from Jerusalem to Jaffa. Frederick himself was granted the right to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem if he chose. In return, the Muslims were to retain position of the Dome of the Rock and the Mosque al-Aqsa, and were to be allowed free access to and within the city. Al-Kamil got a 10 year truce out of the deal, which meant freedom to concentrate on re-uniting Syria with Egypt. All prisoners on both sides were freed. (Lucky Them)
Al-Kamil seemingly got the worst of the deal, and he was nagged about it. His own imams criticized him publicly. Muslims everywhere were horrified to learn that the Sultan had just given Jerusalem to the Christians without even a battle. He was smarter than those aroud him for he knew that he could take Jerusalem anytime he chose. (Hmm, Genius!)
While this was happening Frederick was balmed for a host of crimes:-
(i) He had caused the failure of the Fifth Crusade.
(ii) He had broken his Crusader Vows.
(iii) He had defiled the Pope himself.
(iv) Now, he had wasted a whole Crusader army.
In the end Frederick finally got Jerusalem, but was boned big time for it.
Since the Fifth Crusade was the first since the Crusade of the Kings in 1189 that actually tried to rescue the Holy Land, its defeat was the bitter blow to the Christians.
The emperor in question was Frederick II, a ruler had far more lands at his command than any other monarch, even though he could not always rely on them. He had taken the Crusading vow in 1215 when he was still at youth.
A Marriage
However, Frederick was able to recover his reputation quickly. The Kingdom of Jerusalem was currently without a king John of Brienne was acting as a regent, and his daughter Yolanda was to be Queen. Shortly after the Fifth Crusade was over, the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights suggested that Yolanda be married to Frederick. If it was agreed, then the Kingdom would be untied with the Empire. John accepted in behalf of his daughter (14 years old). They went to Italy where Frederick (31 years old, hmm anyone else feeling a bit weird about this?) accepted the proposal.
Yolanda and Frederick were married in November 1225 at Brindisi. Frederick sent Yolanda to Palermo where she spent the rest of her short life. At seventeen she gave birth to a son (Conrad) and died six years later.
In political terms, the marriage was a success (at least, as far as Frederick was concerned). He now had a legitimate son. And he was the King of Jerusalem. All that he had to do now was to fulfill his crusading vow (10 years old now, the vow I mean).
How Many More Vows?
In the wake of the Fifth Crusade, there was immediately a call for another Crusade. At the Council of Ferentino in 1223, Frederick renewed his Crusader vow in the presence of the Pope, the King of Jerusalem (John of Brienne) and the Grand Masters of the Military Orders.
On June 25 Frederick renewed his Crusader vow again, this time at San Germano. The vow (almost like a treaty) was done with Frederick agreeing to provide a thousand knights, a hundred troop ships and fifty fighting galleys (a type of warship at the time). Against this laborate pledge he agreed to deposit a hundred thousand ounces of gold at Rome as surely should he break his vow.
He was on thin ice now, and the new Pope (Gregory IX) plainly didn’t like him and believed that Frederick was delaying out of cowardice. But it appeared that the King was at last serious, he masses his army in Apulia in the summer of 1227. Malaria broke out and many fell sick, but several thousand soldiers set out late in July under the Duke of Limburg.
Frederick set sail for the holy Land on September 8.
The Excommunicated Crusader
Frederick was hardly out of the harbor before those on board his own ship began to fall sick. The Landgrave of Thuringia was sick before he left and was now near death. Then Frederick himself fell sick to Malaria. His advisors insisted the King get some rest. After three days at sea, he agreed and his ship docked at Otranto.
Frederick immediately sent word to the Pope to explain what happened, but Gregory have none of it. He excommunicated the king on the spot.
Most of the fleet proceeded without the king. By the time he recovered, it was too late in the year to set sail, but he did not let excommunication deter him. Frederick assembled a second army the following spring and left on June 28 1228. When Gregory heard that Frederick had gone on a Crusade anyway, he excommunicated the King a second time (like this would change a thing). This bothered the King no more than the first one.
A great many of his soldiers were troubled by following an excommunicated leader and many of them went home on the first opportunity. As result, when he arrived in Palestine, his army was a lot smaller than what he intended it to be. (LOL loser)
At this time, his wife (Yolanda) had died as a result of giving birth to his son. According to the barons of Palestine, Frederick no longer had any claim to the throne of Jerusalem. Frederick insisted on having his say in any case. (This part has more to do about Outremer and making fun of the King than the Crusades so I’ll cut it short here)
Frederick’s Journey to Palestine
Frederick’s first stop was Cyprus. He was technically the overlord of the kingdom (His father created the First king of Cyprus). The King at that time was a child (Henry I) and the regency was in the hands of his mother (Alice of Jerusalem). Frederick engaged himself in some complex negotiations that came within a hair of violence. In the end, he was able to exert his influence, but the barons were successful in stopping him making himself regent.
Cyprus occupied the summer. He went on to Acre in September where the news of his second excommunication arrived about the same time. Many more of his followers found excuses to leave him while the Templars and the Hospitallers flatly refuses to aid him. With the local barons fearful, the Military Orders (except for the Teutonic Knights) openly uncooperative, and his followers reluctant, Frederick found that he had arrived in the Holy Land without the power to accomplish much. (Again I repeat what a loser)
The Emperor and The Sultan
The prospect of diplomacy did not bother Frederick very much, as he had been in contact with the Sultan before he had ever left Italy and the two men had a certain measure of respect for each other. Al-Kamil had let it be known the he might be willing to give away Jerusalem if the terms were right.
When Frederick arrived, he had called al-Kamil at a bad time, as he was occupied. Al-Kamil was laying siege on Damascus with every prospect of capturing it (Damascus was a highly desirable prize to the Sultan) Upon Frederick’s arrival, al-Kamil sent ambassadors to Acre to string out the negotiations for as long as possible. Ideally, wither Damascus would fall or Frederic would leave.
There followed months of elaborate fencing, as neither ruler was bargaining from a position of strength.
Frederick tried one military expedition, in November 1228, trying to draw the Sultan into battle, but the Sultan stayed put and the Emperor had to retire. Then, he took advantage of the situation fortify Jaffa. Damascus continued to hold out, and al-Kamil began to be anxious for a settlement with the Crusaders. In February, The Emperor and The Sultan came to terms.
The Recovery of Jerusalem
By the terms of the treaty, Jerusalem was returned to the Christians along with Bethlehem, Nazareth, the castles of Montfort and Toron, and a corridor running from Jerusalem to Jaffa. Frederick himself was granted the right to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem if he chose. In return, the Muslims were to retain position of the Dome of the Rock and the Mosque al-Aqsa, and were to be allowed free access to and within the city. Al-Kamil got a 10 year truce out of the deal, which meant freedom to concentrate on re-uniting Syria with Egypt. All prisoners on both sides were freed. (Lucky Them)
Al-Kamil seemingly got the worst of the deal, and he was nagged about it. His own imams criticized him publicly. Muslims everywhere were horrified to learn that the Sultan had just given Jerusalem to the Christians without even a battle. He was smarter than those aroud him for he knew that he could take Jerusalem anytime he chose. (Hmm, Genius!)
While this was happening Frederick was balmed for a host of crimes:-
(i) He had caused the failure of the Fifth Crusade.
(ii) He had broken his Crusader Vows.
(iii) He had defiled the Pope himself.
(iv) Now, he had wasted a whole Crusader army.
In the end Frederick finally got Jerusalem, but was boned big time for it.